Process for preparing electrically conductive polymer

Claim 1

A process for producing an electrically conductive polymer having an electroconductivity of from 10 to 100 S/cm, which comprises the steps of: dissolving or dispersing a monomer selected from the group consisting of benzene, biphenyl, diphenylbenzene, dibiphenylyl, naphthalene, anthracene, and any derivative or substituted compound thereof and a compound which provides an electrolyte selected from the group consisting of iodine ion, chlorine ion, fluorine ion, BF 4 - , ClO 4 - , AsF 6 - , SO 3 - , and PF 6 - , in an organic polar medium; applying a voltage of 5 to 80 V across the resulting solution or dispersion to effect an electrochemical, anodic oxidation reaction in the resulting solution or dispersion at a temperature lower than 80° C. in an inert gas, in the presence of at least one metal ion selected from the group consisting of a copper ion, a bivalent silver ion, a trivalent iron ion, a trivalent manganese ion, a ruthenium ion, a rhenium ion, and a rhodium ion, to obtain said electrically conductive polymer having an electroconductivity of from 10 to 100 S/cm; and separating said polymer.